For the Love of Fruit Tarts
by Alabaster86
Summary: Mai and Zuko experience romance on Ember Island.


Avatar belongs to Mike and Bryan.

For the Love of Fruit Tarts

Ember Island was a place of revelation and change. That's what Lo and Li had said to the group of teens upon their arrival at the Fire Nation's most famous vacation and relaxation spot. Zuko and Mai had certainly experienced a few revelations around the fire that evening, both about the other and about themselves. After that crazy group therapy session and the wanton destruction of Chan's house, Mai and Zuko decided to have their own private picnic, away from the prying eyes of Azula and the endless chatter of Ty Lee.

After pretending to go to bed along with everyone else, the couple crept through the tiny beach house looking for food to take with them. Zuko spotted a couple of delicious looking fruit tarts on the table.

"Hey, Mai," he whispered. "What about these?"

"Mmmmm," Mai replied. "I love fruit tarts."

"Well good, then. Let's take them and the tea set."

"Okay," agreed Mai as she packed the tarts in a basket and covered them with a cloth. Zuko grabbed the tea set and the pair stepped silently through the house to the back door. Once outside, Mai began to giggle.

"I like it when you laugh," Zuko said affectionately.

"I feel like a thief. Oooh, we're taking Li's and Lo's fruit tarts."

Zuko grinned. "How about we go to my family's old vacation house? We can sit in the courtyard. It's really beautiful. We may as well try to enjoy our little forced vacation."

"Yeah, but I want to walk on the beach first," Mai said.

"Sure, whatever you want to do," Zuko acquiesced.

They reached the deserted beach house after a brief walk and put their things inside. Then hand in hand, the two teens walked to the beach. Feeling strangely free under the moonlit sky, both Mai and Zuko splashed playfully in the warm water. Mai twisted her foot on a rock and went under the gentle waves, soaking her outfit from the waist down. The wet cloth clung to her lovely figure and Zuko couldn't help but stare.

"Zuko, draw a picture. It will last longer," Mai deadpanned.

"Oh, sorry, was I staring?"

"Yeah, you were. Do you think there are any towels at your house?"

"I'm not sure but we should be able to find something to dry you off with," Zuko replied.

"Ugh, I can't believe we forgot towels," Mai exclaimed.

"Here, take my shirt for now," the Fire Nation prince offered.

"No, it's too silky to dry me off. Let's just go back."

They walked back quickly, Zuko's arm around Mai in an attempt to stave off any cold she might feel. They went inside and found their things. Zuko ran upstairs looking for a towel.

"There were no towels, but I did find a blanket. Here."

"Thanks," Mai said as she took the red blanket from Zuko. She rubbed it up and down her damp clothes. "That's a bit better."

"I'll make some tea and we can have our tarts. Why don't you sit down in the living room, Mai. I can start a fire too."

Mai moved into the living room while Zuko busied himself in the kitchen. Though the house hadn't been used for years, there were still a few essentials in the cupboards. He found two plates and a tray to serve Mai. Once the tea was steeped, he walked to the living room, set the tray down on the table and started a fire in the fireplace.

"Mmmm," Mai said. "That heat feels so good. I'm hungry, Zuko. Could you get me a slice of fruit tart?"

Zuko complied, handing the black haired girl a plate and a cup filled with green tea. Zuko helped himself as well and the two sipped and chewed quietly for awhile. The handsome young man kept looking at Mai through his dark, shaggy hair. "Agni, she's beautiful," he mused to himself. He shuffled over closer to Mai and put his arm around her once again.

"You have a bit of tart right there," he said, pointing at her delicate mouth.

Mai attempted to brush off the offending crumbs but missed. Zuko reached with his hand but decided to kiss the corner of her mouth instead.

"Zuko, are you licking me?" Mai asked, humour in her husky voice.

"You taste so good," Zuko whispered, blushing. He put his finger into Mai's unfinished piece of fruit tart and picked up a piece. Smearing it across her lips, he kissed her again. Mai groaned in pleasure. Deciding to join the action, she scooped up her own piece and rubbed it on the exposed skin of Zuko's chest. Bending her head, Mai proceeded to clean Zuko's chest of all traces of the tart.

"Oh, Agni," the prince muttered. The couple continued their little game until the tarts were gone.

"What are we going to do now?'" Zuko asked almost mournfully. Mai answered with a deep kiss. Her tongue tasted like fruit and pastry. Zuko returned the kiss with fervor.

He pressed urgently against Mai and she leaned backwards until she lay flat on the floor. They continued kissing, while Zuko tugged at Mai's top.

"Are you okay with this?" he asked.

"Yes," Mai breathed.

She undid the clasp on Zuko's sleeveless top and he shrugged it off.

"Let your hair down, Mai. Please."

Mai sat up and pulled loose the buns in her hair. Zuko ran his hands through its dark loveliness. "I love your hair," he said softly as he pulled her close and breathed in its scent. He gave her top one last pull and it fell to the floor.

Deciding to continue upstairs on a comfortable bed, the couple staggered up the staircase as if intoxicated. Finding Zuko's old bedroom, they continued to fumble with ties and clasps until they were both nude. Zuko drank in the sight of his girlfriend, a good part of him not believing that he was actually there with Mai, about to make love for the first time.

"Zuko," Mai urged. She had been doing her own ogling. Zuko was a beautiful looking young man and her desire for him was almost overwhelming her. Jolted from his thoughts, the prince moved over to the bed and joined Mai. Instinct made up for their lack of experience as their bodies entwined passionately. All barriers broke down and the pair muttered words of encouragement, words of endearment and words of lust.

Later, both spent, they gazed shyly at each other. "Yumm," Mai uttered breathily. "I'm really glad we decided to have our own little picnic."

"Me too," Zuko agreed, his eyes alight with love and passion. "We should always have some fruit tarts on hand. There are so many uses for them."

"True," Mai replied smiling. She reached over and caressed the scarred side of Zuko's face, tracing the leathery skin with light touches. Zuko caught her hand and kissed her fingers, one at a time, then brought her hand to his chest, over his heart.

They went to sleep, legs tangled together and arms wrapped around each other. Zuko, ever the firebender, rose along with the sun. He gazed fondly at Mai and gently disentangled himself from her embrace. Rubbing his eyes, Zuko went downstairs to the kitchen and brewed more tea. He rinsed out the cups from the night before and carried the fresh tea upstairs, hoping Mai would be awake. She began to stir as he entered the bedroom. Zuko set the tray down.

"Good morning," he said to Mai teasingly. "It's time to get up. I made tea."

Not accustomed to rising quite this early, Mai complained, "I'm still tired."

Zuko bent down and kissed her deeply. "Will that get you going," he asked.

"Mmmmm, maybe," Mai responded sleepily. "Why don't you come back to bed?"

About to follow his girlfriend's suggestion, Zuko heard voices coming from outside the window.

"Azuula," Ty Lee whined. "I wanted to sleep longer. "Why are we going to your family's old house?"

"Because, Ty Lee, Mai and Zuko aren't in bed like they should be. I think they snuck off during the night and I want to find them," Azula replied curtly.

"That's so romantic," Ty Lee observed dreamily. "I wonder what they did."

"Yes, I wonder," Azula said sarcastically.

Back inside the disused but still elegant vacation home, Zuko whispered frantically to Mai, "Azula and Ty Lee are coming. Come on! Get dressed."

"Okay, Zuko, okay," Mai replied calmly, pulling her clothes on. She rose gracefully from the bed and took Zuko's arm. "We'd better go downstairs and out the back way to the courtyard. Bring the tea."

They walked stealthily through the house and out the back way only to come face to face with Azula and Ty Lee. Zuko blushed, Ty Lee giggled and Azula stared coldly. Mai, meanwhile, fumbled with her drawstrings in an attempt to secure her bottoms.

"So you _are_ here," Ty Lee exclaimed. "It's all so sweet and you two are just too cute."

"Be quiet, Ty Lee," Azula commanded.

The excitable girl quickly silenced herself, and decided to stare instead. Mai met her interested gaze, her cheeks flushing pink.

Zuko decided to make up a cover story. "Mai and I couldn't sleep. We both got up at the same time and went to the kitchen and found some tarts and brought them here and ate them and made tea and um, had tea in the living room. We must have gone to asleep, right Mai."

"Sure Zuko. That's right," said Mai, verbally going along with the lie but rolling her eyes at its feebleness.

"Yes," Azula responded. "And Ty Lee and I spent the night with Lo and Li. They reminisced about their days as bathing beauties and we played Pai Sho. You remember how much Ty Lee loves Pai Sho, don't you, Zuko?"

With great dignity, Zuko set down the tray, took Mai's hand and headed toward the beach.

"They totally did it, Azula!!!" exclaimed Ty Lee. "I want to hear all about it from Mai."

"Well, I don't want to hear another word about it," Azula said imperiously. "I'm sorry that we looked for them at all."

Walking along the shore, their feet in the water, Zuko and Mai didn't say anything. They inched closer to each other until their shoulders touched.


End file.
